PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

No PM! Yu hav de ting BACKWAYS!

Performance FIRST, Salary Increase AFTER…ROLL IT BACK!!!

Kingston, Jamaica, Sunday, May 21, 2023. Prime Minister Andrew Holness statement to the
public on Friday, May 19, 2023, that he “will announce shortly, a series of accountability
measures” for ministers and members of parliament (MPs)” sounds like “him hav de ting
backways.” He is "putting the cart before the horse." The Advocates Network maintain that job
descriptions and accountability measures must come BEFORE not AFTER salary
increases so that the taxpayers will know what performance indicators have been met to justify
the salary increases that will be paid by their hard earned tax dollars.

Another PROMISE of accountability and performance standards is NOT ACCEPTABLE!!!

Since 1991, the PROMISE of a comprehensive accountability framework for Elected

Parliamentarians in the Stone Committee Report remains unfulfilled.

Since 2009, the Vision 2030 PROMISE of a Code of Conduct for Parliamentarians remains
unfulfilled.

While campaigning on February 7, 2016, Andrew Holness said his Administration would
institute impeachment proceedings in Parliament within the first 100 days, stating: “This will
add another layer of protection of the Parliament to ensure that only members of unquestioned
integrity sit in the Parliament.” Another unfulfilled PROMISE!

In February 2017, during a review of the one-year performance of his Government, PM

Holness told Cabinet Ministers that they have six more months to prove to him that they
deserve to keep their jobs and stated that "job descriptions are actually being prepared."

NO MORE PROMISES!!! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!

We now demand that the Prime Minister act on his many promises BEFORE payment of any
salary increase to the political directorate.

We note the PM’s agreement with the public's outcry for accountability and performance
standards, and we remind the PM that accountability is good performance accounting with
legislative oversight.

Advocatesnet@gmail.com
#We Naa Ease Up
We, therefore, demand the following:

1) Immediate disclosure and wide dissemination of the already established series of

accountability measures;

2) ROLL BACK of the salary increases for the political directorate to no more than 20%
in line with other public sector workers until an independent report is produced on the
performance of each MP and Ministers of government. The report must justify the scale of
the salary proposed; and

3) The inclusion of an appropriate and acceptable accountability framework in PHASE 1

of the constitution reform process. This should include, among other things:

a. the promised Job Description for MPs, Ministers and the proposed Head of State for
the Republic of Jamaica;
b. the promised Code of Conduct for Parliamentarians; and
c. a restructured Senate and House of Representative to provide effective legislative
oversight and scrutiny of executive actions and, importantly, to strengthen the voice
of the people in Parliament so that WE, the JAMAICAN PEOPLE, can hold our
elective representatives accountable.

CALL TO ACTION
The Advocates Network will be organizing daily “Lunch-time” protests from 12 noon to 2pm
at the National Heroes Circle Park (opposite the Ministry of Finance) starting Wednesday, May
24, 2023. We encourage Jamaicans to join us and make your voice heard about these
unconscionable salary increases.

“The power of the people is greater than the people in power.”

For more information, contact:

Rosalea Hamilton – Tel (876) 833 2545
Robert Stephens - Tel (876) 909-6338
Donna Mattis – Tel (876) 347-2482
Devon Taylor – Tel (917) 584-0839
Indi Mclymont-Lafayette – Tel (876) 852-8763

The Advocates Network is an unincorporated, non-partisan alliance of individuals and organizations advocating for human rights and good
governance to improve the socio-economic conditions of the people of Jamaica and transform lives. Our core objective is to forge a
meaningful, broad-based collaboration of individuals and civil society organizations to support human rights & good governance issues.

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